Doesn't matter if all the choice seats are still held by suits that only show up for 5 minutes, if at all, and then go home. Used to see a lot of that when I lived in the area. People would use the Joe as some kind of bar....show up for the 2nd period with some buddies, drink, and then leave before the 3rd even started. WTF

Part of the necessity for a new barn is the lack of high dollar corporate suites. The new arena will have mid-level boxes (think The Palace) that will pull those "visting suits" away from ice level. Also, with proper luxury boxes and club level the bulk of the increase in ticket prices will be absorbed by the big wigs.

As far as decreased capacity goes, that's also a function of the mid-level boxes. To keep capacity at 20k fans would be a long distance from the ice.

Again, I wouldn't mind a new arena but hope the seats are not miles away from the ice and they still let the fans be on the glass during warmups. In Chicago, they don't let you on the glass for warmups unless you have a ticket in the lower section.

I never really cared for The Joe ... not very accessible ... wheelchair seating sucks ... it needs to be like Nationwide Arena where I can see the entire ice surface from above, not one side or the other ... I would love Gordie Howe Arena, but today's world makes that pretty much impossible ...

I am confused by the news today. We already knew most, if not all, of this. They're really just stating that it was approved by the city officially. My question is, does this mean something is designed? When are we going to see renderings?

I am very grateful that I made the trek several times to the Joe. There is literally nothing else like it, what special place! But I can see the benefits of the new venue and jobs brought in, etc., too.

No stopping it, so I say embrace it, but never forget the magical place that was Joe Louis Arena.

I have no idea why the new arena would only seat 18,000. That means that 2,000 less people can come watch a game....and from a business standpoint, 2,000 less people ponying up the cash to come to the game.

"All done? Five bucks." - Pavel Datsyuk after an interview"Very few cities in the NHL have the history or the following of the Detroit Red Wings." - Steve Yzerman

Part of the necessity for a new barn is the lack of high dollar corporate suites. The new arena will have mid-level boxes (think The Palace) that will pull those "visting suits" away from ice level. Also, with proper luxury boxes and club level the bulk of the increase in ticket prices will be absorbed by the big wigs.

As far as decreased capacity goes, that's also a function of the mid-level boxes. To keep capacity at 20k fans would be a long distance from the ice.

Thanks, yeah that is an obvious problem and solution that I wasn't thinking about.

I am confused by the news today. We already knew most, if not all, of this. They're really just stating that it was approved by the city officially. My question is, does this mean something is designed? When are we going to see renderings?

I don't remember any of the extra-arena development being tacked onto the plan before, so I'm guessing this is the new part.

Are we talking about something like Westgate (Yotes), only with some real businesses occupying it as well?

Why are people worried about being further away from the ice? There isn't a bad seat at JLA, even at the very top. I've sat in dozens of spots there, from the 5th row from the ice to the absolute last row in the building. All sight lines are perfect. If you're worried about being too far from the action, how do you explain a football stadium?

I was in that article, that's why I said I didn't like the idea of the reduce seating numbers.

I'm pretty sure I read 18k somewhere.. I'll try to find a link

The field's also bigger with more players (and therefore more action) and a football is magnitudes larger than a puck.

Go home comparison, you're drunk.

Why are people worried about being further away from the ice? There isn't a bad seat at JLA, even at the very top. I've sat in dozens of spots there, from the 5th row from the ice to the absolute last row in the building. All sight lines are perfect. If you're worried about being too far from the action, how do you explain a football stadium?

While I conceed that a new barn is inevidable, I will mourn the reduction of the view of the upper bowl seats with the all-but-certain addition of the mid-level suites. I suppose the reduction in seating is to allow for the suites as well as additional leg room from increasing the depth of each row. But seeing as they haven't even apparently settled on a design, I think we'll have a number of seasons to still enjoy JLA.